Real Zeal

"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14). This poetic exhortation (some say it was a song the early Christians sang) rings like an alarm clock to rouse us from spiritual slumber.

How can we live with genuine enthusiasm in a cultural atmosphere that's more "ho-hum" than "hallelujah"? Our hard-to-impress "been there, done that" generation often dismisses faith with shrugs instead of songs. Sadly, a lot of people associate church with boredom, not blessing; with yawning, not dawning; with lethargy, not love.

Why do we find so much apathy in our culture and even in the church? Several reasons come to mind.

We're spoiled. Prosperity can lead to boredom, especially if we take our blessings for granted. By itself, no material thing—a faster computer, a better car, or a newer church building—will bring lasting satisfaction.

We're media-saturated. Inundated with news and advertisements, we build up an information immunity. To get our attention, a story has to sound more unusual, dramatic, or titillating. We're like the people in Athens who "spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas" (Acts 17:21).

We're prideful. Amos warned that the apathetic people of his day were "complacent in Zion." They lounged on fine furniture and dined on fancy food, but the Lord abhorred their pride (Amos 6:1–8).

We're forgetful. Peter warned that a nongrowing Christian "has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins" (2 Peter 1:9). Have we forgotten the soul-saving, purpose-giving, world-changing, eternity-altering power of the gospel? We miss the excitement of knowing Christ if we forget what it was like without him.

We're passive. It's a bad trade to exchange the thrill of involvement for the dullness of inactivity. Less praying plus less serving equals less joy.

We're out of touch. If we don't mingle with non-Christians, how can we understand their struggles or lead them closer to Christ? Nothing produces more joy than seeing people saved.

In the New Testament, one distinctive characteristic of Christians was their real zeal. Not a hokey pseudo-enthusiasm, but the real thing. Not a phony excitement generated by religious hype, but an authentic recognition of the reality of God. Not an attempt to impress others, but an honest demonstration of the Spirit's power. Committed folks like Stephen were "full of God's grace and power" (Acts 6:8), and the Bereans "received the message with great eagerness" (Acts 17:11). They followed in the footsteps of Jesus, of whom it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me" (John 2:17).

We can beat boredom too, if we remember who we are and what we're doing.

We're God's children. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1).

We're God's coworkers, helping build his everlasting kingdom.

We're God's caregivers. "Who cares?" God does. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

We're God's communicators, "as though God were making his appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20).

And we're God's companions, never alone in the work.

Because there's work to do, God's alarm clock keeps ringing: "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11). Real zeal will make a difference in an indifferent world.